Pipe puller



PIPE FULLER Filed Jan. s1, 1935 SuwV//f Patented Oct. 27, 1936 PATENT OFFICE PIPE FULLER Walter F. Hall and George A. Lowrey,

Goose Creek, Tex.

Application January 31', `1935, Serial No. 4,291 i claims. (o1. 294-96) This invention relates to a pipe puller. One object of the invention is to provide a pipe puller, specially designed for removing pipe from a well bore, and embodies means whereby the 5 puller may be released from the pipe in case the latter can not be withdrawn from the bore.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe puller of the character described having a mandrel on the stem for expanding the pipe enl gaging slip, said mandrel being normally clutched against rotation relative to the stem but having l a limited longitudinal movement relative to the stem.

A further feature of the invention resides in A#l the provision of a pipe puller of such construction that the pipe engaging slips may be actuated into pipe engaging positionV or into released position by a one way rotation of the operating stem.

A still further feature of the invention resides in a novel construction whereby the slip actuating means may be relieved from any tension incident to the pulling operations to the end that the said slip actuating means will be subjected only to the work lof operating the slipinto pipe engaging position or into released position.

Y With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specication and illustrated in the accomf panying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional View of the tool.

Figure 2 is a side elevation. Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 shows a partial vertical sectional view,

shown in relation to the pipe to be pulled.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- I designates the pipe or casing to be pulled.

The numeral 2 refers to a tubular sectional operating stem, usually the drill stem, whose sections may be connected by conventional tool joints and incorporated into this stem there is a special coupling 3, the lower end of which is reduced and outwardly threaded forming the pin 3a and being somewhat reduced. Forming a part of the stem "l and threaded onto the lower end of the stem section 2a, there is a depending tubular nipple 4. The nipple 4 is externally threaded so that the lupper end of the lower portion 5 of the stem may be connected thereto and to the lower end of this 1 55 portion 5 the conventional pipe cutter may be connected. Around the stem section 2a, there is an upwardly tapering sleeve-like mandrel 6 whose lower end is supported on the upper end of the nipple 4j The pin 3a of the coupling 3 is threaded into a 5 long coupling 9 by means of coarse threads and attached to the lower end of said coupling 9 there `whose inner faces are ared downwardly to conform to the external taper of the mandrel 6.

The slip has the vertical slots I4 extending from l5 the lower end thereof up to the ring II and the lower end of the nipple I0 has the oppositely disposed -outwardly turned lugs I5, I5 which work in oppositely disposed slots I4.

The stem section 2a has an external annular 20 rib I6 forming an abutment which is normally -spaced above the mandrel and against which the upper end of the mandrel 6 may abut to limit the upward movement thereof.

-The lower'end of the mandrel Ii is provided with 25 `i clutch jaws 6a adapted `to normally interengage with similar clutch jaws 4a of the nipple 4 to hold the mandrel against rotation of the stem.

The coupling 3 has the external shoulder I'I, formed by the reduction of the lower end of said 30 coupling and this shoulder and the upper end of said coupling 9 have oppositely pitched clutch YteethY I8, I9, which interlock when the pin 3a is screwed home into the coupling 9 so as to prevent said connected parts from becoming too tightly 35 screwed together.

l In operation the puller is assembled as shown in Figure l with the coupling 9 in its lower posi- 'l tion relative to the coupling 3, and then let down 40 ing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the vnumeral into Ithe casing or pipe to be removed. In this 40 with the pipe to be pulled, but the lower end of the coupling 9 will abut the ring I I and force the 45 slip downwardly until the lower end of the tool joint 20 lands on the upper end of the stuck pipe and the downward movement of the puller is stopped, as shown in Figure 4. If an upward pull be now exerted on the operating ste-m 2 the 50 mandrel 6 will be wedged tightly between the jaws I3 and will expand them into secure er1- gagement 'with the pipe I and a continued upward pull-may result in a dislodgment of the stuck-.pipe and Aeffect its removal `from the bore.

When this upward pull is exerted the tool joint 28 will move above the upper end of the pipe I and the lower end of the coupling 9 Will clear the ring IE as shown in Figure 1. In case the pipe can not be thus removed the operating stem may be lowered, to release mandrel 6 from wedging engagement with the jaws I3 and to thus release the tension on the jaws, and the stem is then rotated to the right to screw the coupling 9 up onto the pin 3a and this will move the nipple i@ upwardly causing the lugs I5 to engage and elevate the ring II carrying the slips I3 up clear of the mandrel S. In case the mandrel should be so tightly gripped between the jaws I3 as to not be released by the jaws I3, upon contact of the upper end of the mandrel with the abutment I 6, said mandrel will be released from between the jaws I3 and it will drop down on the nipple 4 in readiness to be clutched therewith in the manner hereinabove explained. The tool may now be elevated to carry the slip I2 up out of the pipe and the cutting tool beneath may be located at the desired place in the pipe and then rotated to make the cut.

The construction and mode of operation of conventional pipe cutters is well known to those familiar with the art and a specic description and illustration thereof has accordingly not been given.

During the operation of the cutter to eiect the out, the momentum of the coupling 9 will cause it to gradually run downwardly on the pin 3a so as to seat the slip jaws I3 on the mandrel 6 in a pipe engaging position. This result is effected because the teeth I8, I9 prevent the pin 3a from becoming screwed tightly into the coupiing 9 and the vibrations incident to cutting operations causes the coupling 9 to gradually move downwardly on the pin 3a to its lower position so that when the cut is completed the slip jaws I3 will be in readiness to engage the cut ofi section. The tool may now be again lowered until said jaws I3 enter the upper end of the cut off section and an upward pull will then cause the mandrel 6 to expand said jaws into engagement with the cut oiT section and the same may be pulled out.

If for any reason the severed section cannot be pulled out the jaws I3 may be again released and the cutter moved upwardly as hereinabove explained and another cut made and the puller then engaged with said cut for removing the same from the bore and the operation may be repeated until the stuck pipe is cut up into sections and removed a section at a time.

It is to be noted that the pulling strain is sustained by the operating stem 2, 2a, and the threads connecting the pin 3a and the coupling 9 do not sustain any of this strain or tension so that said threads will not become injured or distorted. The only Strain on` said pin 3a and the coupling 9 is such as may be required to operate the pipe engaging slip I2 into engaging or released position.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A pipe puller including an operating stem, an upwardly tapering mandrel rotatable and axially movable on the stem, means whereby the mandrel may be clutched with the stem, means for limiting the axial movement of the mandrel on said stem during the rotation of the stem, an expansible, pipe engaging slip arranged to be expanded by said mandrel, a slip actuating device having a threaded connection with the stern and having a slidable and non-rotatable connection with said slip whereby said slip may be actuated out of operative relation with the mandrel.

2. A pipe puller including an operating string, a mandrel rotatable and axially movable thereon means for clutching the mandrel with the stem to render the mandrel non-rotatable relative to the stem, means for limiting the axial movement of the mandrel on the string as the string is rotated, a coupling member fixed on the string, a coupling member movably connected with the fixed coupling member, a gripping device adapted to coact with said mandrel to grip the pipe and means connecting said movable coupling member with said gripping device.

3. A pipe puller including an operating stem, a tapering mandrel on the stem, and clutched therewith during the. rotation of the stem, expansible pipe gripping means arranged to coact with, and to be expanded by said mandrel into gripping relation with said pipe, and two complement-al parts interconnected by threads, one being fixed on said stem and the other being slidable on the stem and means whereby said slidable part is rendered eiective to release the slips from the pipe. upon upward movement of the slidable part.

4. A pipe pulier including an operating stem, a tapering mandrel rotatable and longitudinally movable on the stem, means for clutching the mandrel with the stem, means limiting the 1ongi.

tudinal movement of the mandrel on the stem during the rotation of the stem, a gripping device including expansible pipe gripping means arranged to coact with and to be expanded by said mandrel into gripping relation with the pipe, two complemental parts one being slidable on the stem and the other being fixed relative to the stern, said parts being connected by threads and means operatively connecting the slidable part with the gripping device.

5. A pipe` puller including an operating stem, a rotatable tapering mandrel on the stem, means for preventing the rotation of the mandrel on the stem, said mandrel being longitudinally movable on the stem, means for limiting such longitudinal movement, an expansible pipe engaging slip around the stem arranged to coact with and to be expanded by the mandrel into engaging relation with the pipe, a member slidable on the stem and having a slidable connection with said slip, and a member fixed on the stem and having a threaded connection with said slidable member, whereby the slip may be moved out of cooperating relation with the mandrel upon the rotation of the stem in a selected direction, and permitted to move into such cooperating relation upon rotation of the stem in another direction.

6, A pipe puller including an operating stem, an upwardly tapering rotatable mandrel, means for clutching the mandrel on the stem, an expansible pipe engaging slip on the stem, two complemental parts having interconnecting screw threads one part being fixed relative to the stem and the other part being axially movable thereon, interconnecting means connecting said movable part to said slip, said interconnecting means having a slip joint connection to permit the relative axial movement of said slip and movable part but to prevent their relative rotation.

'7. A pipe puller including an operating stem, a tapering mandrel rotatable thereon, means at times preventing the rotation of the mandrel on the stem, an expansible slip on the stem movable into and out of operative relation with the mandrel, a coarsely threaded pin and a box threaded to receiverthe pin, said pin and box being one fixed to the stem and the other having a sldable but nonrotatable connection with said slip.

WALTER F. HALL. GEORGE A. LOWREY. 

